It is becoming increasingly common for states and other governmental units to impose size limits on fish taken from bodies of water, establishing the minimum length of fish of particular species that may legally be kept by sport fishermen. For example, the State of Texas has established ten inches as the minimum length for Crappie and Sand Bass. As a result of the regulatory limitations, it is necessary for fishermen to measure the fish they catch to determine whether they exceed the minimum length and may be retained, or whether they fall short of the minimum length and must be returned to the water. Obtaining an accurate measurement of a freshly caught, active fish is difficult. The measuring process may also involve risk of injury for the fisherman, from fin punctures and/or cuts, and also involves risk of external and internal injury to the fish, from the rough handling that is often required to restrain the fish during the measuring process.
Various approaches to measuring fish are known in the prior art, but each of the known approaches suffers from certain problems and disadvantages. One common approach is to use a general measuring device, such as a yardstick or tape measure. In this approach the fisherman must simultaneouly hold both the fish and the measuring device, properly position the fish relative to the measuring device, and read the length of the fish from the markings on the measuring device while holding the fish in the proper position. In addition to the mechanical difficulty of simultaneously holding, positioning, and measuring, this approach has the serious disadvantages of leading to inaccurate measurements and of exposing both fisherman and fish to injury.
In a related approach a measuring device is attached to a boat or other structure, and the fish is positioned on the fixed measuring device. While this approach alleviates some of the problems associated with the use of a loose measuring device, it remains subject to several inherent disadvantages. It is still necessary for the fisherman to hold and restrain the fish during the measuring process and to properly position the fish against the measuring device, and the increase in accuracy and reduction in risk of injury to both fisherman and fish are marginal.
The prior art also includes measuring devices formed in a dished configuration, with a depression intended to receive the body of the fish during the measuring process. Although the configuration of devices representing this approach makes it somewhat less difficult to restrain and properly position the fish, it is still necessary for the fisherman to manipulate both the measuring device and the fish at the same time. Further, since the fish must be directly handled and restrained by the fisherman, the risks of injury are only slightly reduced.
A further effort to address the identified problems and disadvantages is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 3,259,988 to Lunn, which discloses a holding and measuring device generally comprising a hollow tubular body closed at one end and including a length scale. A fish is placed in the interior of the device with its nose against the closed end, and the length is determined from the scale. Although the approach characterized by the described device allows a fisherman to determine the length of a fish without the need to simultaneously hold and position the fish against a measuring device, it still requires relatively extensive handling of the fish before it can be measured. The hook must be removed from the mouth of the fish, and then the fish must be inserted into the interior of the device through an opening not significantly larger than the fish itself. The risks of injury associated with such handling are not addressed by the illustrated approach. Further, with the fish fully within the interior of the device, the fisherman is not able to grasp and straighten the tail to obtain accurate length measurement.
Therefore, there remains a need for a fish holding and measuring device, and for a method of measuring the length of a fish, which fully address and solve the problems and disadvantages associated with the approaches known in the prior art. Accordingly, it is among the objectives of the present invention to provide a fish holding and measuring device which allows a fish to be restrained and measured with minimal handling of the fish by the fisherman. It is further among the objectives of the invention to provide a device which allows a fisherman to easily and positively determine whether a fish exceeds a certain minimum length even in conditions of limited visibility. It is also among the objectives of the invention to provide a method of quickly and accurately determining the length of a fish.